UN refugee agency 'outraged' as Israeli strikes kill staffers in Lebanon

The United Nations refugee agency has expressed outrage after a staff member and a contractor were killed in Lebanon a day earlier, amid intense Israeli air strikes.

"UNHCR is outraged and deeply saddened by the killing of two beloved members of the UNHCR family in Lebanon," a statement said on Tuesday

It identified them as Dina Darwiche, whose building was "hit by an Israeli missile" on Monday, and contractor Ali Basma, who south Lebanon's Ain Baal municipality in a statement said was among those killed when a building was "targeted".

According to the statement, Dina Darwiche has been working with UNHCR for 12 years in UNHCR's Beqaa office, in Lebanon.

"The protection of civilians is a must, and we reiterate the Secretary-General’s call for urgent de-escalation and calls on all parties to protect civilians, including aid workers, in line with obligations under international humanitarian law", the statement added.

The chief of the UN refugee agency also confirmed Tuesday that two staffers were among the hundreds who have been killed in the latest Israeli air strikes in Lebanon

"Israeli air strikes in Lebanon are now relentlessly claiming hundreds of civilian lives. And I am very saddened to confirm that two UNHCR colleagues were also killed yesterday," Filippo Grandi wrote on X.

UNHCR established its first office in Lebanon in 1964 and has since been supporting Lebanese, refugees, and stateless persons.

In Gaza, more than 220 staff members of UNRWA have also been killed in Israeli attacks..